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equinoctial

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equinoctial


  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Equator  \E*qua"tor\,  n.  [L.  aequator  one  who  equalizes:  cf  F. 
  ['e]quateur  equator.  See  {Equate}.] 
  1.  (Geog.)  The  imaginary  great  circle  on  the  earth's  surface, 
  everywhere  equally  distant  from  the  two  poles,  and 
  dividing  the  earth's  surface  into  two  hemispheres. 
 
  2.  (Astron.)  The  great  circle  of  the  celestial  sphere, 
  coincident  with  the  plane  of  the  earth's  equator;  --  so 
  called  because  when  the  sun  is  in  it  the  days  and  nights 
  are  of  equal  length;  hence  called  also  the  {equinoctial}, 
  and  on  maps,  globes,  etc.,  the  {equinoctial  line}. 
 
  {Equator}  {of  the  sun  or  of  a  planet}  (Astron.),  the  great 
  circle  whose  plane  passes  through  through  the  center  of 
  the  body,  and  is  perpendicular  to  its  axis  of  revolution. 
 
 
  {Magnetic  equator}.  See  {Aclinic}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Equinoctial  \E`qui*noc"tial\,  n. 
  The  equinoctial  line 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Equinoctial  \E`qui*noc"tial\,  a.  [L.  aequinoctials  fr 
  aequinoctium  equinox:  cf  F.  ['e]quinoxial.  See  {Equinox}.] 
  1.  Pertaining  to  an  equinox,  or  the  equinoxes,  or  to  the  time 
  of  equal  day  and  night;  as  the  equinoctial  line 
 
  2.  Pertaining  to  the  regions  or  climate  of  the  equinoctial 
  line  or  equator;  in  or  near  that  line  as  equinoctial 
  heat;  an  equinoctial  sun. 
 
  3.  Pertaining  to  the  time  when  the  sun  enters  the  equinoctial 
  points;  as  an  equinoctial  gale  or  storm,  that  is  one 
  happening  at  or  near  the  time  of  the  equinox,  in  any  part 
  of  the  world. 
 
  {Equinoctial  colure}  (Astron.),  the  meridian  passing  through 
  the  equinoctial  points. 
 
  {Equinoctial  line}  (Astron.),  the  celestial  equator;  --  so 
  called  because  when  the  sun  is  on  it  the  nights  and  days 
  are  of  equal  length  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  See 
  {Equator}. 
 
  Thrice  the  equinoctial  line  He  circled.  --Milton. 
 
  {Equinoctial  points}  (Astron.),  the  two  points  where  the 
  celestial  and  ecliptic  intersect  each  other  the  one  being 
  in  the  first  point  of  Aries,  the  other  in  the  first  point 
  of  Libra. 
 
  {Equinoctial  time}  (Astron.)  reckoned  in  any  year  from  the 
  instant  when  the  mean  sun  is  at  the  mean  vernal 
  equinoctial  point. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  equinoctial 
  adj  1:  relating  to  the  vicinity  of  the  equator 
  2:  relating  to  an  equinox  (when  the  lengths  or  night  and  day 
  are  equal) 
  n  :  the  great  circle  on  the  celestial  sphere  midway  between  the 
  celestial  poles  [syn:  {celestial  equator},  {equinoctial 
  circle},  {equinoctial  line}] 




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